Prince William Kisses George Goodbye, Then It's Off to Work

He proudly told of how he had cradled a smiling Prince George in his arms early in the day before heading to a homelessness center in Sunderland in the northeast of England.

There, got his hands dirty – well, dusty – in the kitchen, sprinkling flour and rolling out dough to make chapati bread for a curry meal.

His thoughts turned to home when asked about his 4-month-old. "He was saying he had been holding him and his baby had been smiling into the mirror," said Jennifer Sams, 19, at the center.

Tim Rooke / REX USA

Later in the day, while opening a new leisure center in the town of South Shields, William said of George: "He's very well, thank you. Hopefully asleep at the moment."

In Sunderland, William helped Sams, who was homeless for 2½ years, cook the chicken and vegetable curry. "He was so down to earth, you wouldn't think he was royalty," she said. "I think he likes to make conversation."

William revealed he likes curry – along with McDonald's and Nando's fast food – and thought his chapati was top-notch. "He was very impressed with himself and compared his to the photo on the menu. I couldn't see it myself!" Sams said.

"Let me know how it goes – especially the chipati!" William said as he left. "I could spend all day here chatting."

Tim Rooke / REX USA

'Your Lives Matter'

William was visiting Sunderland's Dundas Street center, run by the Centrepoint charity, which he officially supports. "For these young people, when someone as senior as the Duke of Cambridge comes along and shows interest, that has a really powerful motivation and says to them, 'You guys matter. Your lives matter,' " said Centrepoint chief executive Seyi Obakin.

"I felt like I'd known him all my life, even though we only spoke for five minutes," said Wade Tench, who called Dundas Street his "home away from home." "I can't thank this place enough," he told William.

"He was very interested in what we do with young people," learning officer Alison York said. "He was just fantastic at putting everyone at their ease. He broke the ice by apologizing for disrupting the day."

Friday's visit comes four days before William will be guest of honor at the Winter Whites Gala, which will raise money for the homelessness charity. The gala, which will end with a concert starring Taylor Swift, is also set to honor rocker Jon Bon Jovi for his humanitarian work.